"Ahsoka Tano. By an overwhelming count of…"
"Chancellor!"
Blast! He had been so close! So damn close to getting rid of her for good! Damn Skywalker! If he had waited just a few more moments…
Darth Sidious had to refrain from snapping. As much as he wanted to unleash a torrent of lightning around the court chamber, frying everyone in the process, he knew he couldn't.
For now, he had to be Sheev Palpatine.
"I hope you have a reason for bursting into our proceedings, Master Skywalker."
"I am here with evidence and a confession from the person responsible for all the crimes Ahsoka has been accused of. Barriss Offee, member of the Jedi Order, and traitor!"
Sidious watched as Skywalker stood aside, presenting the young Mirialan Jedi for the entire court to see, flanked by several members of the Jedi Temple Guard. He nearly laughed at the sheer amount of security needed to keep the Padawan in check. Were the Jedi that afraid of one girl? Pathetic!
But then, he supposed, in a way, it was fitting. The Jedi were terrified of Offee, just as he was of Tano.
Not because Tano was powerful, mind you. She wasn't. She was barely a scratch on the cosmic entity of the Force. If the likes of Asajj Ventress or General Grievous could best Tano time and again, then he had nothing to be concerned about in regards to her power.
What was of concern however was how easily she could ruin everything. All of his plans, long forged, could be undone in a single moment if he wasn't careful.
Tano was too close to Skywalker. They had to be separated.
He could have just killed her, but that would have turned Skywalker against him, sooner or later. In this case, outright murder was out of the question.
He had hoped the war would eventually dispose of her for him. The death of his Padawan would have driven Skywalker deeper into a pit of despair, and knowing the Jedi they would have done nothing to help him.
But she had persevered, and in doing so she had only grown closer to Skywalker, and in turn given him yet another obstacle to outmaneuver.
So he had watched from afar, waiting for a moment to strike. Surely, soon, he would have one.
He watched as Kenobi had faked his death, pushing Anakin further away from him and the Council. He watched as a Jedi forced his own troops to fight each other, breaking the trust between Clone and Jedi.
And he had watched as Tano and Skywalker remained steadfast. Together. Unbreakable.
He needed her out of the way, somehow.
And then, just when he had been beginning to lose hope, the Force had intervened.
Tano had been accused of the Temple bombing! The foolish Jedi actually believed that someone like her was capable of terrorism! Of murder!
You didn't need to be a Force user to see how wrong they were, but it was the perfect opportunity for him, and he barely had to raise a hand. He simply had to let nature take its course.
He watched as Tano was accused of treason, exiled from the Jedi Order, and put on trial before his very eyes. The punishment was the death penalty, but he wouldn't let it go that far. If he let her be executed, again, Skywalker would lose all faith and trust in him, as well as both his trust in the Order and the Republic.
He was fine with the latter two. In fact that was exactly what he wanted to happen.
But he needed Skywalker's trust if he was to complete his legacy. And for that, he couldn't harm Tano.
And now, here Skywalker was, once again coming to the rescue of his precious Padawan!
He hated seeing his plans ruined, as rarely as that happened. But he had put too much time and effort into this scheme now. Whatever happened next, he would find a new way to separate the two, whilst keeping Skywalker's trust.
For now, he had to be patient. Luckily, he was an expert in being so.
As it turned out, once again, Darth Sidious barely had to raise a hand. Never in a million years had he expected to be thanking Tano for her actions!
She had left the Order. Left Skywalker, leaving him alone with people who he would never find true common ground with, not like he had with Tano.
It was almost too good to be true. Despite his misgivings, despite his concerns at how easily Tano could likely cause his plans to collapse, instead she had only given him more fuel for his fire.
Skywalker did not trust the Jedi, not after the trial. That much was evident by the way he held himself now. Gone was the confident Jedi General, instead replaced by a broken man who didn't know who he could trust within his own Order.
And that had all been Tano's doing. Her desire to 'find herself' had left Skywalker alone.
And in his new found loneliness, Sidious knew he had a greater chance than ever to worm his way in.
That said, there was still one outstanding issue.
Tano herself.
She was a threat, no question. Her closeness to Skywalker, much like Amidala's, could easily turn him against Sidious.
But at the same time, played in the right way, it could be used against him.
Skywalker would never let anything bad happen to anyone he 'loved'. Not Amidala, not Tano, not even Kenobi or his Clone Captain!
Sidious already knew what happened when someone Skywalker loved was harmed. An entire camp of Tusken Raiders had died when Skywalker's mother had perished after all. If he was willing to do that for someone he hadn't seen in years, Sidious could only imagine the chaos that would occur if harm was to come to someone he saw everyday.
And perhaps, just perhaps, if Sidious was shown to be supporting someone like Tano, maybe Skywalker would be more inclined to trust him.
Smirking to himself in the darkness of his private office, Darth Sidious began to rise from his seat, a plan forming in his mind.
Tracking Tano down had been easy. Her signature in the Force might have been dulled, but he knew it when he sensed it. It reeked of the light side, almost as bad as the likes of Kenobi or Yoda.
There was however, an underlying tinge to it that he didn't recognize. It wasn't the dark side, at least not completely, but something was there. Something he could perhaps use?
Her time as Skywalker's student had clearly had some kind of effect on her. She wasn't the 'holier than thou' Jedi he had expected her to be, even after leaving the Order. If anything, he sensed a hint of bitterness inside her at how she was so easily cast aside.
He could definitely use it. It wasn't enough to turn her, at least not right away, but it was something that could be festered, just like her Master.
And so he had offered her a job. He could do with an agent of her expertise, and if she died on the mission, so be it.
But if she didn't, then Skywalker would see him as looking after his former Padawan, and his trust in the 'Supreme Chancellor' would only grow even further.
If it meant having to put up with Tano for now, then so be it. If he could stomach dealing with Senator Amidala and her cronies, then he could deal with an exiled Jedi.
Besides, it might just give him a new weapon to use down the line.
Despite his hope, Tano proved more successful than he had expected. Her first mission, to infiltrate a Separatist facility, had been a test. If she could succeed, then she was worthy of a place as his agent, for now at least. It would help to have someone around to do his bidding. He couldn't rely on the Jedi Council after all.
Not even the presence of Grievous had slowed her down, which surprised him. The cyborg General had rarely had an issue dealing with her in the past. So what changed this time?
Upon her return to Coruscant, it came to Sidious' attention that she was without a weapon. Luckily for him, he had just the solution.
Concealed within his office was a box, containing the last active remnant of his old Master, Plagueis.
Sidious sat at his desk and opened the box, his eyes being drawn to the small red kyber crystal within.
He had pillaged the crystal from his Master's saber the night he had killed him. It had seemed like an acceptable trophy at the time, and it might even be of some use to him one day.
That day had arrived now it seemed. He couldn't purify the crystal, not in the way the Jedi could, but he could hide it's true nature the same way he had hidden his own from the Jedi Order.
Delving into the Force, Darth Sidious mediated.
It took a few moments before he finally felt the Force shift in the crystal.
Glancing back down, he saw the crystal, once a glorious red, was now colourless. It still belonged to his old Master, but Tano wouldn't know that. For all she knew it was just a simple crystal he had acquired somehow.
Closing the lid on the ornate box, Sidious cackled to himself.
Sidious knew that, eventually, Tano and Skywalker would find their way back to each other. As much of a detriment as that could be in the long run, it also presented him with an opportunity.
Thus, he had gone out of his way to arrange their reunion himself. That way both of them, mainly Skywalker, would have a newfound appreciation of the Chancellor of the Republic. It was a risk of course, Sidious knew. But if it meant that Skywalker felt like he owed the Chancellor for bringing him back into contact with Tano, then so be it.
Besides, from what he had seen of their reunion he could already tell that Skywalker would do anything for Tano. Perhaps that could be of use to Sidious at some point?
'Project Nullify' was, in his opinion, a colossal waste of time, but one that was needed to act as a necessary distraction, for both the Jedi and for Dooku.
If the 'honorable' Count was too focused on ensuring the safety of that project from the Jedi, then he wouldn't be able to see what was in store for him.
Darth Tyranus was a formidable Sith, one that far outclassed his first failure. But he was also a means to an end. A puppet he could control within the Separatists to keep the war going. When the time came, he would be pushed aside without a second thought.
But for now, as a tool, he was useful to Sidious' schemes, much like Tano and Skywalker were, and much like the Clones would soon become.
Tano's failure to apprehend or eliminate the Clone Trooper was… problematic, but nothing that couldn't be resolved by a simple bounty hunter.
"You have your target Bane. You will be paid when the job is done."
"Clones are easy prey. This one will be no different."
Confident in the bounty hunter who had infiltrated the Jedi Temple for him once, Sidious had transferred the details across, as well as a small bonus ahead of schedule as a good will gesture. Not enough to cover the entire contract, but enough that the Duros might be able to purchase something to help him in his mission.
The only problem was that he never heard from the bounty hunter again, and could only suspect the worst.
When no news came after a month, Sidious couldn't help but destroy one of the ornaments in the Supreme Chancellor's office out of anger.
Darth Sidious knew that, when the time came, there was no way he would be able to police the entire galaxy. He couldn't be everywhere at once, and neither could his chosen apprentice.
He needed a force of 'loyal' soldiers beyond that of the Clones. No doubt that there would be Jedi survivors when the time came. So what better way to hunt Jedi than by using their own kind against them.
It was thus that he had created 'Project Inquisitor'. They would be disposable in the long run naturally, but they would also help him consolidate his power, at least at the start.
Tyranus' help had been invaluable with this project. Who better to analyse a list of possible Jedi recruits than a former member of the Council himself? Plus, much like 'Project Nullify' it would keep the Count busy in the meantime.
For now however, Sidious had another issue to deal with.
It was time to test Tano.
In the time she had been his 'personal agent', she had more than proven her worth to him, despite one major failure.
So now it was time for the last test, to determine if she was truly of use in a way he suspected she might be.
He didn't have high hopes, but if she succeeded, then he would keep her by his side a lot longer than he had originally planned, and in doing so would ensure Skywalker's continued loyalty towards him.
Orchestrating a terrorist attack on Coruscant wasn't exactly hard. It had been done once before after all, and despite increased security, all it took was for him to redirect Commander Fox and his Coruscant Guard to act as security for his charity ball for an opening to present itself.
The attack had occurred, and as predicted, the target had escaped.
Tano's expression, as well as her signature in the Force when she heard the news of Offee's escape was exactly what he had been hoping for. Try as she might, she was angry, full of rage and hate at her former friend. The perfect festering ground for a loyal agent.
He had told her to use lethal force, if required. She seemed to appreciate the option to bring Offee in alive if she could.
The Force did not reveal any answers to Sidious, but he knew what outcome he needed.
If Offee lived, Tano was too weak to join his plans. If she died…
Then the Inquisitors would gain one more member.
Tano reported in. Offee was dead.
When the hologram of the Togruta faded away, Sidious couldn't help but smirk.
This was an unexpected development.
Sidious prided himself in having complete control over every aspect of the ongoing war. His influence reached both sides, and his manipulation over both governments was not something that came easily, but it was necessary for him to succeed.
That said, when something happened that was not down to his influence or control in some fashion, Darth Sidious could not help but be worried.
When Skywalker showed up at his office claiming there had been some kind of Force disaster inside of the Jedi Temple, even Sidious was stumped.
As tempted as he was to initiate Order 66 immediately, whilst the Jedi were indisposed, he held off. His influence over Skywalker was not yet absolute, and he lacked a sufficiently strong excuse to do something so extreme. He needed more time.
Instead, he had sent Skywalker and Tano to coordinate the Jedi investigation, whilst he conducted his own.
Whatever this was was beyond his control, but he had a theory.
It was time for Sheev Palpatine to become Darth Sidious, if only for a bit.
The Sith Shrine. Long had it been since he had visited such a place, let alone managed to actually get inside of one. His last trip to Malachor had been unsuccessful, his goals unfulfilled. Clearly, Maul had been an unworthy apprentice if he couldn't help his Master inside of the Malachor Temple.
And yet now, here, underneath the Jedi Temple, Maul was present once again. And for some reason, he had taken a vested interest in Tano.
This could derail Sidious' plans. Maul knew much, though not as much as he thought. But it was still enough, and if he managed to turn Tano into his own apprentice…
A snarl escaped Sidious' throat. No… he needed Tano on his side. He needed something to use against Skywalker when the time came. Who better than his precious Padawan.
Luckily, it seemed that Tano wasn't interested in what Maul was offering her. Sidious watched from the shadows of the Shrine's central chamber as the two dueled. Orange and red clashed against each other in swift flurries of strikes before finally, Maul broke through and wounded the girl.
A sigh of disappointment escaped Sidious. He had expected her to put up a better fight. Still, at least she wouldn't prove to be a problem for him in the long run.
Sidious watched as Tano fell to the floor in agony, writhing in pain, both from her wounds and from the effect of the superweapon in the heart of the shrine.
Maul was going to destroy her. That he could see.
And despite his dislike of her, Sidious could not allow that to happen.
Not yet at least.
As Maul brought his blade down, Sidious acted.
A single clawed hand, held outwards, grasping hold of the Zabrak's arm with the Force.
The sudden shift from smug to terrified from Maul pleased Sidious to no end, and he let loose a series of harsh cackles.
It was time to have some fun.
Despite her wounds, Tano survived, all thanks to him.
The Force had a sick sense of humour sometimes, that was for sure. If someone had told him that one day, he would be applying bacta patches to save the life of Anakin Skywalker's Padawan, he would have laughed in their face before promptly killing them. For what reason would he have ever willingly saved the life of a brat like her?
And yet, now… he not only had to, but part of him wanted to. In a twisted way, he had warmed up to Tano. She had become far more useful than he had ever expected she would be.
If the circumstances were different, and Skywalker had taken more after Kenobi in his demeanour, then maybe, just maybe, Tano would make an excellent Sith replacement to help him usher in a new age of peace.
Still, it wouldn't hurt to have a backup plan, just in case things with Skywalker fell through. The Force was malleable after all. Nothing was certain, not even his own success.
Dooku and Grievous. Working together? To overthrow him?
Sidious couldn't help but cackle! The very thought of it was obscene. An old man and a cyborg Kaleesh who could barely duel a Jedi Master teaming up to destroy him? It was laughable.
And yet, in a way, he wasn't surprised. Dooku had already shown himself to be an ambitious man. Ventress and Opress had been clear evidence of his desire to train his own Sith apprentice. In a way, Sidious was proud of his student for upholding the Sith teachings in such a manner.
That meant that now, more than ever, he had to be removed.
He needed to step up his plans. He needed Skywalker sooner rather than later. He just needed a perfect opportunity to strike.
Darth Sidious could sense the way the Force was shifting. The end of the war was coming. He just prayed he had done enough to ensure his victory.
General Grievous was Force Sensitive. 'Project Nullify' had worked.
Once again, Sidious destroyed another ornament in the Supreme Chancellor's office. When Senator Organa asked him where it had gone, he lied through his teeth.
"I suffered a wobble yesterday and knocked it off by mistake. My health isn't what it was these days my friend."
The fool Organa seemed to buy his excuse.
Now more than ever, Sidious needed both Dooku and Grievous dead.
And he knew exactly how to do it.
The distant sound of explosions and plumes of fireballs were a stark contrast to the peace and quiet within the Chancellor's private residence.
Sheev Palpatine sat, a small mug of carefully brewed tea in his hands as he watched the chaos outside.
Coruscant, the crown jewel of the Republic, under heavy siege.
A siege of his design. He had ordered this assault. An assault that was supposed to mark the beginning of the end.
Today, either the Republic capital would be crushed, or the Separatists would lose a vast majority of their fleet, as well as their two leading figures. If both Dooku and Grievous died this day, the Confederacy of Independent systems would collapse. There was no way that the slime known as Nute Gunray, or any of the other Separatist leaders would be able to seize control and rally what remained of the troops. They had neither the spine nor the charisma for it.
Whatever the outcome of today was, the end of war would be right around the corner. If all went to plan, the Separatists would lose, and whilst the Jedi were cleaning up the remnants, he would strike.
But for now, all he could do was sit and wait.
Darth Sidious watched with glee from the shadows as Grievous struck out at his two Jedi bodyguards.
It had been a foolish plan for them to split up. As bold and brave as Master Shaak Ti was, even she could not stand against an army of Grievous' magnaguards.
Alas, her distraction had given Grievous the prime opportunity to launch his own ambush.
Sidious had watched as the two Jedi, Foul Moudama and Roron Corobb, tried in vain to stand up to Grievous' speed. Predictably however, it was not enough.
Moudama's head was swiftly separated from its body, rolling over to Sidious' feet in a gruesome display that nearly made him laugh aloud. He couldn't of course, lest he give away his true identity. For now, he had to be Palpatine, not Sidious.
Letting loose a fake gasp of horror at the death of the Jedi, Palpatine called out to the other Jedi still dueling the cyborg.
"He is too powerful for you! We must retreat!"
Palpatine's words however came too late. The Ithorian called over to the Chancellor, telling him to run in his native tongue before finding himself impaled on all four of Grievous' blades.
The Jedi fell to the ground, dead in an instant as Grievous extinguished three of the four sabers and moved over towards Palpatine.
The General reached forward with one of his clawed hands and grasped hold of Palpatine's robes, lifting him off of the ground with ease.
"You're mine, old man!"
Outwardly, Sheev Palpatine smirked.
Inwardly, Darth Sidious did the same. If only the fool before him knew who he was really dealing with.
"You wouldn't dare hurt the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic! Whatever would your master say?"
"You're lucky they want you alive!"
And then, Shaak Ti entered.
It was no great surprise when Grievous had easily bested the Togruta Jedi Master in seconds. He was far more powerful now thanks to 'Project Nullify'.
What had surprised Sidious was the fact that Grievous had left her alive, albeit tied up.
He knew what Grievous was doing of course. He was sending the Jedi Council a message. No one was safe from his wrath. If he could beat a Council Member as experienced as Shaak Ti, then he could beat any of the Jedi.
And quite possibly, any of the Sith too.
As he sat watching the battle above Coruscant rage on from the 'safety' of the Invisible Hand, Darth Sidious began to contemplate just how fast things had changed over the course of the war.
Grievous, once nothing more than a tool to lead the droid army had evolved into a key player in the war. He had come from nothing, and now held significant influence. He was Dooku's right hand man, that much was clear, and it was only a matter of time until they both tried their luck against him.
If all went to plan however, neither Sith apprentice or cyborg General would get the opportunity. Not if he had anything to say about it that was.
His thoughts then turned to the other unexpected development in his plans. Tano.
Her role was still unclear to him, if she had any at all. She had been an excellent agent of his, and if all went to plan, would continue to be one. But the Force around her was clouded. He couldn't see her fate as clearly as he could Skywalker's.
She was a wildcard, and perhaps, one that had not been worthy of the risk he had taken in getting close to her in the first place.
Alas, he had needed to. He had to keep Skywalker's trust in him, or else everything would fall apart.
When the time came, he would deal with whatever Tano was. For now, he had to focus on Skywalker.
Darth Tyranus was dead.
Darth Sidious was one step closer.
Now all he needed to do was lay the final seeds of despair, and his new apprentice would come running to him.
Delving into the dark side of the Force, he meditated and found him.
Skywalker. Fast asleep.
A vicious smirk came to Sidious' face as he began to implant images into the 'Chosen One's' mind.
Death, despair, suffering. All things Skywalker knew well.
All things that would get him to panic and act out of reason.
The perfect festering ground for Sidious to make his move.
Darth Sidious turned his back and walked away, becoming Sheev Palpatine once more.
Skywalker now knew everything, and he hadn't made a move to strike him down.
That alone was a good sign. Skywalker was conflicted in a great many ways. The dreams and visions he had been experiencing, coupled with the growing distrust the Jedi Council had for him had only accelerated what Sidious had needed to happen.
Skywalker did not know who he could trust, and he hated being alone. Sooner or later he would have to pick a side.
If he chose the Jedi, then he would die.
But, if he was desperate enough to save those he loved, then everything had been worth it. Countless years of waiting, and it all came down to this moment.
When he was certain Skywalker had left the office, he began to prepare himself.
Windu would likely be along shortly, his Council cronies by his side. They wouldn't go down without a fight.
But then, neither would Sidious.
This would be the defining moment in galactic history, for more than one reason. This was the moment he had been building up to since…
A sudden shift in the Force hit his senses. A signature, one that he recognized, but not one he expected to see today in person was at the edge of his senses, coming ever closer, worry and confusion present.
A dark smirk lit up on his face.
This was perfect.
Ahsoka Tano strode into the Supreme Chancellor's office. She would usually wait to be welcomed in by an aide, but upon arrival she found none present. The hallways around the office were seemingly empty, save for a few guards milling around.
Rex and the boys had tried to stop her from coming, but she had insisted. She had to confront the Chancellor over what he knew.
A foreboding sense of dread rushed across Ahsoka. Something was wrong, but whatever it was she couldn't put her finger on it, and right now she had other problems that needed more focus.
Moving through the office, Ahsoka found the Chancellor sitting at his desk in his private room, mulling over a large red hologram before him.
Taking a deep breath, Ahsoka removed her helmet and held it in her hands before clearing her throat.
The Chancellor gasped in surprise and jumped before turning his chair around, shock on his face.
"My dear, I did not hear you enter! Have I forgotten about a scheduled meeting today?"
"No Chancellor, I'm here of my own volition."
"Oh, I see. Then I am glad I'm not going completely senile yet. Come, have a look at this." The Chancellor replied as he turned his seat around again to face the red holographic display before him, gesturing Ahsoka closer.
Knowing that it would be rude of her to deny him the request, she moved forward. She needed him in a good mood after all before she dropped the bombshells on him.
Ahsoka moved to stand next to the Chancellor as her eyes surveyed the hologram before it.
"Schematics?" She questioned as her eyes began to understand what was before her. It looked like them at least, but for what, Ahsoka's wasn't sure.
"Precisely. A member of Clone Intelligence recovered them during the second battle of Geonosis. Apparently the Geonosians had plans for some sort of super space station, at least that's what I assume them to be. I'm not the most technologically minded person after all." The Chancellor replied, glancing up at Ahsoka as she continued to survey the holographic schematics.
"Probably safer out of their hands and in ours instead." Ahsoka quipped with a small touch of humour, earning a light chuckle from Palpatine in the process before he again jumped in his chair.
Taking a step back, Ahsoka turned her attention to the Chancellor. His eyes were wide, as if in a panic about something.
"Is something wrong?"
"I… I'm not sure. I just have a bad feeling about… something. "
Ahsoka knew that feeling all too well. Perhaps now wasn't the best time to confront the Chancellor over the chips. If he was struggling with something, most likely hostage induced PTSD courtesy of Grievous, then he clearly needed rest.
She was about to suggest such a thing to him when he waved her off, his face returning to normal.
"Don't worry. I'm sure it's nothing. Just the paranoia of an old man. Now, tell me my dear, what brings you to my office so late at night?"
Ahsoka knew from experience that brushing aside your own concerns, especially ones in regard to mental health, was not a good idea. It could lead you down a very dark path if you were not cautious.
But as it stood, whilst she might be his personal agent, she wasn't in the position to judge him or offer him advice or direction. If the Chancellor had a problem, it was best left to the professionals.
She wasn't a therapist after all.
"Chancellor, I need to talk to you about something that has come to my attention."
"Of course my dear, of course. What is the problem?"
"It's about…"
Ahsoka barely got two words out of her mouth before the sound of the door to the Chancellor's private office opening hit her montrals. At the sound she spotted Palpatine stiffening briefly before relaxing, slowly turning his chair round once again to face whoever had just entered the room.
Glancing up at the doorway, Ahsoka found her eyes widening in surprise.
Mace Windu had entered first, a determined look on his face, flanked by three other members of the Jedi Council.
Saesee Tiin stood on one side of Windu, a stoic expression present on his face. Through the Force she couldn't feel his emotions, as if he was actively blocking them.
On the other side of Windu stood Agen Kolar, anger clear present all over his face, almost as if he was itching for a fight. Upon spotting her, he scowled deeper.
The fourth member of the Council was Shaak Ti, who like Master Tiin had a stoic expression present, at least before she took note of Ahsoka's presence in the room. Upon seeing her fellow Togruta, her face fell to despair.
The Force screamed danger at Ahsoka. Something was very very wrong.
"Master Windu, this is a pleasant surprise. Do you have good news to report?" Palpatine spoke first as the Jedi halted in their position by the door, as if preventing anyone from leaving. Ahsoka really didn't like this.
Windu said nothing at first, his eyes focused solely on the Chancellor, as if he was trying to read him. Through the Force, Ahsoka could feel Windu trying to probe at Palpatine's mind, but failing to do so in the process.
Palpatine must have been extraordinarily strong mentally to resist such a probe, but why was Windu doing such a thing in the first place? Using the Force on a civilian, much less the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, in such a way was not exactly within the confines of the Jedi code.
The Force screamed danger to her again, and on instinct Ahsoka's free hand that was not holding her helmet moved to rest upon her lightsaber.
The subtle movement didn't go unnoticed by Windu, who titled his head at the gesture.
It was Kolar however who spoke, acid practically seething from his mouth.
"See! I told you Mace! She's with him! She's been with him since she left!"
"Peace, Master Kolar." Windu responded before he shifted his focus back to Palpatine.
What had Kolar meant? Of course Ahsoka was with Palpatine! She was his personal agent!
Unless… unless the Jedi Master meant something else? If so, what?
It was then that Windu moved, his gesture shocking Ahsoka as he grasped hold of his own lightsaber, before igniting the purple blade for all to see.
Beside him. Kolar and Tiin did the same, with Shaak Ti following hesitantly moments later.
"What are you…" Ahsoka began to demand before Windu spoke again.
"In the name of the Galactic Senate of the Republic, you are under arrest, Chancellor."
"WHAT?!" Ahsoka couldn't help the outburst that escaped her throat! What was Windu thinking! He didn't have the authority to march into the Chancellor's office and arrest him… did he?
"Step aside Tano, this does not concern you." Windu's reply was short and sharp. "Leave now, while you can."
"Of course it concerns her Mace! She's one of them!" Kolar interrupted, taking a step forward and bringing his saber into a ready position before him, as if he was about to strike.
On instinct, Ahsoka dropped her helmet and moved to stand between the Jedi and the Chancellor, her saber hilt held out, but not ignited.
Not yet.
It was one thing for the Jedi Council to march into the Chancellor's private office and demand his arrest. It was another to march in and ignite their sabers. If the Chancellor didn't come willingly, would they use lethal force to ensure he did?
Would they kill him?
"My dear, please!" Palpatine spoke from behind, his voice warm and gentle, if not on edge. It was clear he was trying to protect her, and she was grateful for that.
But right now she had to protect him. She needed him alive for answers, after all.
"Why is he under arrest?" Ahsoka demanded of the Council Members, bracing herself for an attack.
They wouldn't go through her to get to him… would they?
"Why do you think, Sith filth!" Kolar snarled again, answering before Windu got the chance.
'Sith Filth'? What did he mean!
"Master Jedi, please… this must be a misunderstanding. And even if I was a Sith, as you seem to be accusing me of, that is hardly against the law!" Palpatine spoke up from behind her again, his tone panicked.
Windu however, did not seem to hear him, and made no move to explain whatever this was about either.
"You will be tried before the Galactic Senate and Jedi Order for crimes against the Republic. Your fate will be whatever we decide, 'My Lord'." Windu replied, placing extra emphasis on the title at the end in an almost mocking way.
Surely they were not accusing Palpatine of being an actual Sith Lord? They'd have sensed him by now if he was a Sith! She would have sensed him!
Kriff… Anakin would have!
No! This had to be a massive misunderstanding! They had to be wrong. And whatever this was, was a crime!
Storming into the Senate building and trying to arrest the Supreme Chancellor? It seemed more like a power grab than anything else.
That explained why the Chancellor had been so panicked early. Was this what he was worried about?!
And even if this apparent arrest was legitimate, why had the Jedi armed themselves in such a way? Palpatine had made no moves against them! This was not the Jedi way!
Ahsoka really didn't understand what was happening! She only knew she didn't have enough information to act accordingly.
Anakin had taught her to act on what she knew, and if she didn't know everything, then she would have to work with what she had.
And what she had right now was the knowledge that the Jedi Council were willing to use violence to remove the Chancellor from office.
"Master Jedi, you don't have the authority to do this. Return to the Temple now and we will all forget this ever happened!" Ahsoka replied, bracing herself whilst shielding the Chancellor. If worse came to pass, she could delay them whilst the Chancellor made a run for extra security. She'd likely be taken down with ease, maybe even killed, but if the Chancellor was safe, she'd have done her job.
Shaak Ti's face fell even further at her words, as did Windu's surprise before he regained his confident expression.
"I had hoped Master Kolar was wrong with his assumption, young one. But evidently it was I that had too much faith in you. I am only sorry that we led you down this path."
'What the hell is he going on about?!'
"But be that as it may, you, like your new Master, are a threat to galactic peace, and thus must be stopped no matter the cost. Lay down your saber and surrender to us, or face the consequences."
Ahsoka honestly did not know what to say, not as Windu angled his own lightsaber towards her, an evident threat.
'First they accuse the Chancellor of being a Sith and now… what… They think of me as his Sith apprentice or something?! How paranoid can they be!'
Ahsoka opened her mouth to reply to Windu's words, however she was beaten to it.
"Are you threatening us Master Jedi?" Palpatine spoke, his words coming out with a vicious snarl that surprised Ahsoka. She wanted to look back and make sure he was ok but knew she couldn't turn her back on the Jedi present, especially not with the way Agen Kolar looked ready to pounce.
"The Senate will decide your fate!" Windu's attention shifted back to Palpatine, but she could tell he was ready for her, just in case.
Palpatine spoke again, his voice even darker, full of malice.
"I am the Senate!"
"Not yet!"
The Force screamed once more, begging her to run, to escape whilst she could!
But she couldn't. She had to stay! And even if she tried to run, the only exit was blocked by four Jedi Council Members who seemed to think her a Sith Lord.
They'd strike her down before she even made it through the doorway. She had to stay and stand her ground, and if need be, fight.
No one spoke for a few moments. The only sound present in the Chancellor's private office being the ominous humming of four ignited lightsabers.
No one made the first move, each waiting, watching. Ahsoka would only defend, not attack. That was the Jedi way after all, and whilst she might no longer be one, she was in her opinion at this moment in time, a better upholder of the Jedi code than the four Council Members present.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the soft sound of a sigh came from behind her, followed by the creaking of a chair as Palpatine rose to his feet.
For a moment, she thought he was about to surrender to them.
But then he spoke, his voice drawling in what seemed like sadistic pleasure.
"It's treason, then."
And in that moment, Ahsoka Tano's life changed forever, once more.
Author's thoughts
Ok, so I know it's been a long while since I updated, and I'm sorry, but I needed a break and some time to think. I'll state this now, this isn't a return to regular updates. I'm still having issues, but I thought that maybe, if I uploaded this chapter, I'd get the inspiration and motivation to write some more. I dunno. We will see I guess.
In regards to this chapter, I hope you all enjoyed the look at what Sidious has been up to over the course of the story. This is the chapter I've been building up to for 80 prior chapters, so I only hope it was worth the wait, and that the puzzle pieces all fit nicely.
As for the ending scene, well... things don't look too grand for everyone's favourite Supreme Chancellor do they? I wonder if anyone will come to his rescue?
Thanks once again to my beta reader 'ArrinSnyders' for all his patience thus far and help.
Next time round... well... do I even need to say?
As usual, comment and speculate at will. Speaking of which:
RyanSquad: Anakin's fall in canon is understandable once you consider a lot of things. Doesn't excuse his crimes, but you can understand why he did what he did.
As for making his powerful, he already is, but his arrogance is a key character trait Taking that away means he's not Anakin.
tf330129: I'm trying.
Hekkasi: I hope I can write the story as clearly as possible as well, believe me. I just hope it's enjoyable as well.
Jayfeather's Friend: No worries about being absent. You can read whenever you want to read. No rush. I just hope you enjoyed the reading. :)
SappySoulTaker: You'll have to wait and see what path she chooses... if she even gets a choice.
the Mandalorian terminator: Glad you liked the chapter title, as well as all the revelations within. It was a challenge to write, but one that needed to happen.
Writing Palpatine being manipulative is always fun, so glad you enjoyed that too. He's such a 'nice' person.
Alfredo12StarLegionaire: This was written pre-Bad Batch, so I could only assume they had functioning chips in their heads or something. Guess I was somewhat wrong.
I hope the long awaited ending is worth it. I'd hate to have wasted three years on this project.
matthewbarcus31: Thanks. I appreciate that. Hope you liked this one too.
TragicFiction: Maybe, maybe not. Perhaps Palpatine will willingly surrender this time.
Remnant7: Glad you liked it. It was a hell of a plot dump, but a necessary one to lay some final groundwork before the end.
Ascoobian: If canon Anakin can't work that one out, then there really is no reason for this AU Anakin to work it out either without adding unnecessary complication to an already complicated story. Anakin is too deep into his own misery and worry at this point to see the obvious truth, which is a shame.
But yeah, glad you enjoyed Palpatine's manipulations and whatnot. It's always fun to write him being like that, especially in contrast to his 'Sidious' ego as well.
I only the final few chapters make the story worth sticking around for. :)
Mysterious Guest 1: Anakin might be the most powerful Force user in the saga, but that doesn't automatically put him as the 'best of the best' if you ask me. I'd rate Obi-Wan, Yoda, Windu and Palpatine as being above him, simply due to the sheet amount of experience they've got.
Ahsoka is not stronger in this story whatsoever, it just so happens that the opponents she's faced up to this point aren't that considerable. Besides, she got her ass handed to her by Maul back in the Sith Shrine.
Mysterious Guest 2: I guess Fox decided to swap his armour for Wolffe's when he was hunting Ahsoka in the underworld.